The next morning, Minghao leaves his room with a heart sinking to his tummy. He still has not been able to have a proper conversation with Wonwoo throughout the night. When he woke up this morning, Wonwoo was already in his full attire uniform and left 5 minutes later, of course without saying anything to his new roommate.

After seeing his homeroom teacher, the teacher guides Minghao to his classroom and introduced him in front of the class. Class 2-4, nothing special, he notes. Only 30 loud walking testosterones gathered in one packed and narrow room. The classroom is so messy, a total different with the classroom in his previous school. As he walks to his appointed seat, he notices that Seokmin from across the room waves to him. Right, he remembers the latter said that they would be classmates.

“You know Seokmin?” the boy sitting beside Minghao whispers. As Minghao adjusting his seats, he scans Minghao from head to toe with left eyebrow raised.

“Yes, we met yesterday,” Minghao replies shortly. Taking a proper sight to the asking boy’s face, Minghao realizes that the boy was the one entering his room last night. The one that usually uses his bathroom, according to Wonwoo.

“How did you know him?” with that judging expression in his face and still with eyes lingering on Minghao, the Chinese boy feels like he is being interrogated now.

“He helped me to find my room yesterday when I just moved in. And why do you want to know?”

The boy flinches a little hearing Minghao questioning him back. While shrugging he says, “Well Seokmin is my roommate and my best friend. I have to know if he ever has a friend that has not been introduced to me.”

Wow, what a possessive best friend Seokmin has here, Minghao thinks. “Don’t worry I won’t take away your best friend. Beside we just knew each other yesterday though,” Minghao says, making sure that he emphasizes at the word ‘best friend’.

Replying Minghao with a ‘Fine’, the tall boy looks away and pretends to pay attention to the teacher in front of the class. But who is he lying here, Minghao can easily notices that the boy keep stealing glaces toward him and gives him that suspicious look. Minghao thinks being ignored by Wonwoo for a whole night might be his worst first day experience, but this boy looks like he is giving Minghao another bad experience to add to his first day diary.

After four hours enduring the glares from his one weird classmate, finally the lunch break comes. Minghao was about to run free to the bathroom, but before he is able to leave the class, Seokmin shouts at him while grinning, “Minghao, let’s have lunch together!”

Minghao stops and smiles to Seokmin, “Oh sure.” But Minghao's smile fades as soon as he realizes that the tall boy is following Seokmin right on his tail.

“By the way Minghao, this is Mingyu. My roommate that I was talking about yesterday, remember?” Seokmin shoved Mingyu to the front so now he walks between him and Minghao.

“Yes sure. Your best friend, right?” Minghao teases, gaining a glare from Mingyu.

Seokmin replies with a genuine laugh then continues, “I’m sure he will also be your best friend in no time. I see you guys can get along well during the class.” Both Minghao and Mingyu send Seokmin a terrified look, but the oldest just does not catch that.

Sitting in the cafetaria between Mingyu and Seokmin, Minghao is introduced to some seniors living the same dorm as them. Soonyoung, the blonde head who was calling for Seokmin yesterday, is keep talking to Seokmin and Mingyu about Mingyu’s latest soccer match and how much he regret that Mingyu’s team was losing. And there’s Seungcheol, the leader of dorm 2, who is too busy finishing his fish soup to pay attention to the other’s conversation.

Their school is known for having 3 different dorms, which usually compete against each other every year. Each dorm has a 3rd grader leader with distinct personalities. Dorm 1 is led by Yoon Jeonghan, a senior with excellence capability in martial art. Even though he might look fragile and tender, but they told Minghao not to be fooled by his look. Dorm 2, where Minghao currently live in, is led by Choi Seungcheol. His major is athletic. Meanwhile Lee Jihoon, a senior from soccer club is leading dorm 3. Mingyu said that this senior may looks small like a fairy, but is actually a monster, based on his personal experience. 

“So Seungcheol-hyung, beside a leader of dorm 2, you are also the captain of athletic club?” Minghao asks in between the three beagles' chatters.

“Oh yes I am,” he answers proudly. “Are you maybe have an interest in athletic field, new kid?” he lifts his head and faces Minghao properly.

Minghao stays silent for a while before answering doubtfully, “Yes. I was actually in an athletic club back in my previous school, hyung. Well, my friends said that I excel in short distance running, so…”

Before Minghao even finished his words, Seungcheol grabs his left hand with both hands, “Kid, will you come to our club practice tomorrow evening after school? We are in need of sprinters at the moment, our club needs some representatives to compete in province athletic week competition next month, and we are running out of members.” His excited expression gradually turns into a devastated mode.

“Wait, why are you guys running out of athlete to send for a competition while you have a Jeon Wonwoo in the club who snatched thousands of gold in sprint? He is a prince of short distance running!” Minghao exclaimed loudly. He does not realize that he might talked too loud. Too loud to even made Seokmin, Mingyu, and Soonyoung stop doing whatever they were doing and turns their attention to him and Seungcheol, who are currently holding hands.

Mingyu sends Minghao a glare he sent to him back in the class while saying, “Are you actually think that a national athlete like him would want to be a school representative in a province festival like that?”

Minghao shrugged, “Why not?”

“Logically, he won’t gain much benefit from that competition and won’t even gain a penny for running in a city gymnasium. Why would he do that when he can just endorse running shoes and collect thousands or million won?”

Minghao’s ears are burning red hearing Mingyu’s statement.“But, he is running for passion, not for money, Mingyu. That is what being an athlete meant.” Minghao pulls his left hand that was being hold by Seungcheol for God knows how long, and bangs the table, right in front of Mingyu’s face.

Mingyu is taken aback by the bang on the table and shifts in his seat. He moves a little further from Minghao.

“Mingyu, stop that. Please don’t say anything bad about our athlete,” Seungcheol warns, gaining a pout and an inaudible mumbles from the tallest. “No Minghao, Wonwoo is too busy preparing for Olympic to be participating in that competition. So please, will you have a try out tomorrow evening?”

Minghao bites his lower lips for a moment. “Okay, I’ll give it a try.”

Seungcheol’s face suddenly lights up and he gives Minghao a hug. “See you tomorrow then, new kid!” the oldest leaves the table and waves to the other four.

“Seungcheol always shines the brightest everytime he talks about running, eating, and Jeonghan,” Soonyong chirps, gaining non-stop nods from Seokmin and Mingyu.

-------------------------------------------

It’s 11:11 PM and Wonwoo still has not reached home. Minghao wonders does the athlete usually come home this late or is something happening to him right now. Minghao decides to wait for another 30 minutes before he ends up sleeping on his desk that night.

The next thing Minghao knows is someone touches his shoulder lightly and whispers in his deep voice, “Wake up, or you’ll be late.”

Minghao yawns and tries his best to collects himself. Aches are all over his neck and back, results from the uncomfortable sleeping position. Once he realizes who was touching him and waking him up, all the aches are gone and all he can feel is his heart throbbing inside his chest. Minghao assumes that Wonwoo is just finished taking a bath, judging from his still damp hair and a towel hanging on his broad shoulders. A little part of Minghao wishes he can actually see Wonwoo’s bare chest, but nuh-uh. The Chinese boy shakes his head violently to brush away all the dirty thoughts.

“Why were you sleeping on your desk? You got a bed and you know what its function is, right?” Wonwoo asks. But even before Minghao able to answers, he continues as if he does not need any answers from the younger, “If you were waiting for me, let me remind you nicely that you don’t have to do that because I have my own key.”

“N-no, i was writing notes for yesterday’s lecture,” Minghao lies. His heart somehow breaks into pieces, he does not understand why he has to lie to Wonwoo, while the truth has been said by the older himself. “But, sunbae, where were you at last night? Are you usually come home that late?”

Wonwoo sighs heavily as if he is not willing to answers the Chinese, but he does anyway, “Just call me hyung. And where I was last night is not really your business, so don’t let it bother you. Yes I usually come home that late, don’t be surprise if you rarely find me.” His words are meant to be harsh, but he manages to packs it nicely with flat tone. 

Minghao really gets no idea how to response, so he only hums as he watches Wonwoo grabs his bag and leaves their shared room.

Minghao rushes to the bathroom as he realizes that it is almost 7 AM and he has class in 7.30. But only 2 minutes later, a crack sound was heard and someone is entering the bathroom. Minghao is sure he locked the bathroom door, so he peeks in between the shower curtain to find out whether Wonwoo is coming back. But someone he never expect to see in his bathroom is currently taking off his pants and is about to use the closet. “YAH KIM MINGYU, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING IN MY BATHROOM?” Minghao yells as he closes the shower curtain tightly.

Mingyu is surprised to find out that Minghao is already occupying the bathroom, eventhough it’s the Chinese’s room. “Oh you are there, Minghao. I’m sorry it’s urgent, but I really need to use your closet. Seokmin is occupying our bathroom and won’t let me use the closet eventhough I am over the edge now. I just need 3 minutes to finish my thing and I’ll leave you alone.”

“Don’t you dare freaking poop in someone else’s bathroom while the owner is taking a bath, you girrafe! Beside, even Seokmin, your own roommate, won’t let you do your thing. Why do you think I will let you do that while I am showering?”

“Because you didn’t lock the door?” Mingyu asks back.

Minghao shakes his heads. Realizing Mingyu can’t see him behind the curtain, he replies, “But I freaking did lock the bathroom door.”

While pushing the flush button, Mingyu says, “Oh maybe Wonwoo-hyung forgets to tell you that the lock does not work. Wonwoo-hyung never locks the bathroom door, and always let me use the closet even if he is showering. Well it’s not like I can see what you guys are doing inside the shower stall, and neither you can see me doing my thing.”

Minghao cringes hearing the taller boy’s statement, “But I can hear the sounds. And it smells, you !” Minghao shouts frustratedly, earning giggle from Mingyu. “Whatever, just make sure you knock the door next time, Mingyu. I was shocked.”

“I’m sorry hahaha. Thank you by the way, new transfer. I’ll leave you alone now,” says Mingyu as he puts back his pants.

“Wait, Mingyu.” Mingyu thought Minghao wants him gone early, but the new transferred student stops him to leave instead.

“Yeah?”

Minghao hesitating before asking, “Do you know Wonwoo-hyung that well? I mean, letting you to share the bathroom with him, might means that he trusts you and knows you well, right?”

“Hmmm, i’ve known him for years, but do not mean I know him well. I used to go to the same middle school as him, but I only interacted with him after I got to live across of him. I rarely talks to him beside asking his permission to use the closet,” Mingyu laughs. “But once we do have a conversation, I just casually rambling alone and he just responds with hums or nods, or even bites and kicks. Hyung is barely home, he is busy practicing for God knows what competition and busy shooting for sports wear endorsements and stuffs.”

“Oh I see. But at least he lets you talk, he did not even let me reply to his question,” Minghao mumbles softly.

“I’m sorry?” Mingyu asks as he can’t hear what Minghao said clearly because the sounds of falling water from the shower are getting in his way.

“It’s nothing, Mingyu.” Minghao turn off the shower. “You can leave now because I am done showering.” He does not think he should just pour out his feelings toward his favourite athlete to a friend he just knew yesterday. Beside Minghao does not really know how he is feeling right now. Did he set his expectation too high?